Yeah, okay, what are the chances my birthday would happen to fall on a
P-Day!? Wow. I am one lucky booger.
This week has been crazy but good. We have some new goals from our
Mission President for before Christmas that we are really working hard
towards. We worked really hard this week and are trying even harder.
We had a three hour lesson with our investigator this week. Her family
isn't too happy with her being a part of our religion and she had some
questions and concerns that we had to address, she still wants to be
baptized, so we will continue to work with her and we feel like it is
such a miracle that even all the things she has been through she still
wants to have this gospel as a part of her life. this gospel really is
true!
This Tuesday we got permission to go to the senior couples Zumba
class. It was SO MUCH FUN. Oh I haven't been able to do something like
that in a long time. It was like a really easy version of Zumba but it
just reminded me of all those long minutes I spent doing squats along
with the Brazilian Butt Master. It was a lot of fun. Needless to say,
I hope we can go back, usually the only physical activities we do are
the thirty minutes of exercise in the morning and biking. It was fun.
Oh man I feel like I have called all of the Japanese people in the
world this week. Man I get so nervous calling people on the phone.
Luckily, I have been able to understand it all so far, and hey, I
guess that's got to be a good sign right? Mom, training means that you
get a missionary fresh from the MTC, and they all get here and say,
"this is not the language they taught me in the MTC." Yeah, so she has
been in Japan for like two weeks now. It has been fun though. It's
funny to see her react to things the same way I did once upon a time.
Oh look at the time flying by.
I'm just flying by
Oh so high
Like a kite
Tied to a stake
Yeah name that.
Anyway, yeah the earthquake. It was at 6:00 in the morning and it woke
us all up. I thought someone was just shaking the sliding doors at
first and I was about to ask them to stop then I realized like my
entire body was like shaking as I laid there helplessly on my futon.
Well, hurriedly, I dove into "school earthquake drill" mode and me and
Sister Styles dove under our desks right as it ended. It was a pretty
long quake though. I heard it was like a full minute or something like
that. But yeah, you're right, I did think it was pretty cool. The only
worry I had was the volcano. Yeah, I'm just living next to a volcano.
No big deal. I love earthquakes. Love them. I am pretty sure there was
an aftershock I felt at like 4:30 the next morning but I'm not 100%
sure. I was like half sleeping and half thinking it was really cool to
lie there and watch the light hanging from the ceiling swinging
around, but I am not sure what was dream and what was reality. We got
like ten phone calls that morning from people asking if we were okay.
Yep. Just some hearty missionaries who like basically just laid there
for half of it figuring out what was going on. I actually laughed at
myself when it was over because of how funny it would have been to
watch myself jump out of bed and like half dazed move my chair away
from my desk and climb under. Hahaha it was funny. We laughed at
ourselves all day about it. It isn't a funny matter. Just the fact
that we were like half asleep as we did it made it all the better.
We had Zone Training this week too, and that went well. Missionaries
have so much to do and always we are talking about improving and just
only getting better and it is overwhelming sometimes but it was a good
meeting, we talked about goals and some of the commitments we have
made and it was fun. I like being able to see all of the other
missionaries in my zone too.
We met with Kikunaga Shimai this week to share the member message we
are doing with her, she is a really funny lady. We went to eat lunch
together afterward and that was fun. We never know what to expect with
her, but we always have a good time. She is a really delicates member.
I had to talk in Sacrament this week. I talked about miracles and what
they are, and how we can see them and about the miracles I have seen.
I talked about how we are weak yet God allows great things to be done
by our hands and every day we can see miracles. I told them how I
write down miracles I saw every day in my planner, and how sometimes
it is like I ate good food that day or we talked to one nice lady or
something. I felt good about it. We really can see miracles every day.
God desires to bless us, it is just our job to look around and see
what He has already poured out in front of us.
Yesterday too the branch members threw a surprise birthday party for
me! It was the sweetest thing! They had made me a jello cake and had
all written me little notes and it was really really sweet. I really
felt their love. I love this branch. I got your packages on Thursday
and waited until today to open them. Yeah I am weird. I put all my
packages and presents and notes on the table and pretended I was at
home. The other Shimai were patient and watched me open the packages I
got. I think they were more tired of not knowing than I was. Haha. Mom
THANK YOU so much for all of the things you sent to me. I loved and
appreciated it all. I especially loved the Instagram books! Those are
too cute and everyone was like looking through them too. It was really
special. I put the pillow case on my pillow this morning, and I found
that dryer sheet. You have no idea how many Americans you have helped
by that one small dryer sheet. I think I am going to keep it. Maybe
I'll put it in the bottom of my pillow, the side that is in the
mattress and just enjoy it for as long as it lasts. PEOPLE IN AMERICA:
ENJOY YOUR DRYERS AND THE DRYER SHEET SMELL. That's all.
Well, I am not sure what's going on the rest of the day. Apparently
the other missionaries have something planned for me... So we will see
how that goes. We all know how much I love surprises and attention on
my birthday, yeah! It will be fun. All the missionaries here in
Taniyama have fun together so it will be fun regardless.
I love you! Have a good, safe, politics-free week!
Love, Raines Shimai
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